Homeschool Help
Stop Buying More “Montessori” Toys and Do This Instead
With all the Montessori love going on these days in the online world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hunt for the next “must-have” toy to add to your shelf. To those of you who have found yourself in a spiderweb of confusion about what is and is not Montessori and whether you need to invest in all those recommended toys, here is what to do instead.
The Crow and the Pitcher: Science + Literature Lesson
When you enter a Montessori classroom, you will likely first notice how pretty the shelves are with the "works" displayed in simple trays or baskets. If you stay and watch, you will notice that many...
I Can See With My Hands: A Sensory Lesson
Today's Montessori Stereognostic challenge: Select a few objects from around the house and lay them on a rug. Get a blindfold, dishcloth, bandana, playsilk, or scarf. Tie it around your head so...
The Continent Song
One of my favorite things about teaching the 3 - 6 age group using Montessori philosophy is the heavy focus on cultural studies, including geography...
Thrift Store Shopping List for Your Montessori Homeschool
A thrift store is a Montessori parent's best friend! Here’s a shopping list of must-have items to go hunting for. When you get back home, you’ll be ready to set up a shelf for work!
Are Legos Montessori?
Are Legos Montessori? The answer to this question probably depends on who you ask. Are you asking a Montessori teacher while peering into her classroom, wondering if Legos are part of the Montessori...
How to Give a Fabulous Lesson Like a Montessori Teacher
Before giving a work to a child aged 2 to 6, a Montessori teacher almost always gives a “lesson” to demonstrate the activity while the child watches. Montessori believed strongly in the importance of...
Your Child Can LOVE Learning to Write…Just Start With Sand!
Whether on the beach, in a box, or on a tray, sand provides an unforgettable tactile experience for all ages. Help little ones learn to write with this free Montessori-inspired lesson that uses sand.
Singing Together Is More Important Than You Think
Ever meet someone who claims they can’t sing? Maybe you even greet that person when you look in the mirror. Well, science has a message for you -- you’re almost certainly wrong...
Learning to Read: The Three Period Lesson
The three period lesson is a staple of Montessori education. It can be used to teach the name of anything, including the sounds of the letters of the alphabet, setting the stage for reading. It is...
Using Minimalist Ideas in Your Montessori Home
I think we’ve all heard the siren call of Minimalism at some point in parenthood. The notion that minimizing your possessions means MORE time for other things is understandably appealing--especially to parents who find themselves overwhelmed with life and upkeep. There is truth to this: simplifying life CAN make things easier…
You're Doing it Wrong: the Apple Slicer
Do you have an apple slicer? Me, too! I use it all the time, and I always loved letting kids in the classroom help me prepare apple snacks this way. It takes quite a bit of effort for a small child, and I would put...
The Garlic Peeling Work: A Lesson in Mindset
If you ever find yourself wanting to practice patience, I suggest no greater classroom than a house with a toddler. Case in point. One morning, as I sleepily stirred oatmeal on the stove, I glanced over to...
Five Tips for the Montessori Beginner
So you want to do Montessori in the home but aren't sure where to start. Maybe you follow those Instagram feeds filled with achingly beautiful photos of some fantastical Montessori home and think...
Want to Build Fine Motor Skills? Get Nuts.
When I was a kid, my parents took me to a restaurant where you were not only allowed to throw peanut shells all over the floor. You were actually encouraged to. Sure, it may have just been a marketing...
Songs We Love: Inchworm
I'm not above singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, but I also believe that along with the simple, happy melodies we are all familiar with, children should be offered more. They deserve to hear harmonies and discord...
Conflict Resolution Starts in the Sandbox
The sand beckons them. One child reaches for a shovel and kneels, prepares to dig. The other takes off his shoes and swishes his bare feet back and forth. “A sand angel!” he exclaims. His whole body ...
Considering Homeschooling? Here’s How to Make It Work
Curious about homeschooling? You’re not alone. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, almost 3.5% of school-aged children (and growing) are homeschooled. For context...
Knock Down the Pink Tower? Say It Ain't So!
Sometimes we come upon a quote from Maria that shocks us and makes us reconsider everything we've been taught in the name of Montessori. Where do we go from there?